Vaiko urges Modi to ensure well-being of Tamils in Sri Lanka

Chennai: Deploring the status of Minority Tamils in Sri Lanka, NDA constituent MDMK on Tuesday urged Modi government to take 'appropriate steps' to ensure their well-being and opposed deepening commercial and economic relations between India and Sri Lanka.

Party founder Vaiko in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs had reportedly justified India abstaining from voting on a Lanka specific motion at UN Human Rights Council in March this year on a Lanka specific motion.

He asked if it was the official stand of the NDA government to endorse the attitude of betrayal of Tamils committed by the previous UPA government in the human rights council meeting.

Vaiko said the UPA government had provided 'logistic military support' to Sri Lanka in the last leg of civil war between that army and rebel LTTE which witnessed heavy Tamil civilian casualty.

The NDA regime headed by A B Vajpayee had taken the 'commendable decision' of not providing any military support to Sri Lanka, he said, adding, there were reports that India was now planning to impart military training to Sri Lankan personnel in the country.

"But, adding insult to the injury, news have appeared that commercial and economic relationship between the two countries (are) to be enhanced and one of the largest apparel companies of Sri Lanka is going to invest one billion USD in SEZ at Visakhapatnam," he said in the letter.

Situation of Tamils in north and eastern Sri Lanka was 'worsening' as the army had taken control of civilian areas which were being turned into Sinhala settlements even as Tamil men and women were facing many other difficulties, he said.

"With all sincerity and good intention, I have placed this representation for your kind consideration and I would request you to take appropriate steps to erase the tears of Tamils," he said.